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Criminals' favorite ex-DA Rachael Rollins is officially on the September Suffolk DA ballot

Wednesday, May 27, 2026•
4 min read
MDN Staff
•
Criminals' favorite ex-DA Rachael Rollins is officially on the September Suffolk DA ballot

The ex-Suffolk DA whose 'Decline to Prosecute' list told her own prosecutors not to charge 15 offenses — and who resigned as U.S. Attorney in 2023 over federal ethics violations — filed nomination papers with 1,606 signatures for the September 1 Democratic primary.

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BOSTON — Rachael Rollins is officially back on the Suffolk DA ballot.
The ex-Suffolk DA — whose first-day-in-office "Decline to Prosecute" list told her own prosecutors not to charge 15 offenses including drug dealing — turned in nomination papers Tuesday with 1,606 certified signatures from Boston, Chelsea, Winthrop, and Revere, qualifying her for the September 1 Democratic primary.
In a selfie video on X, Rollins delivered her relaunch in 47 seconds: "Hey, just turned in my nomination papers. 1,606 certified signatures from Boston, Chelsea, Winthrop, and Revere. Today it starts. We're gonna bring Suffolk County DA's office back to the community. We're gonna be open and transparent, no invite only, and we're gonna continue innovating because that's what justice requires. Maintenance is not good enough, and neither is the status quo. All right, more to come. Let's go."

What 'innovating' looked like the first time

The centerpiece of Rollins's first tenure as Suffolk DA — running from 2019 to 2022 — was the "Decline to Prosecute" list: 15 offenses she instructed her own prosecutors to drop or downgrade to civil infractions as a matter of office policy, per CBS Boston's reporting.

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The list:
  • Drug possession — including with intent to distribute (i.e., drug dealing)
  • Trespassing
  • Shoplifting
  • Larceny under $250
  • Disorderly conduct
  • Disturbing the peace
  • Receiving stolen property
  • Operating a motor vehicle with a suspended or revoked license
  • Breaking and entering (vacant property at night)
  • Wanton or malicious destruction of property
  • Minor possession of alcohol
  • Threats
  • Resisting arrest
  • A standing-alone resisting-arrest count
  • Minor driving offenses
The policy drew sharp criticism from police unions, prosecutors, and victims' advocates — particularly the inclusion of drug dealing during the height of the opioid epidemic.

Why she left the DOJ

Rollins left the Suffolk DA office in 2022 after being confirmed as U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts under President Biden — the first Black woman to hold the post in the state.
She resigned in May 2023 after a Justice Department Inspector General investigation found she had violated federal Hatch Act ethics laws — engaging in prohibited political activity and leaking sealed information to a Boston Herald reporter in an apparent effort to influence the 2022 race for her old DA seat. A separate Office of Special Counsel probe reached similar conclusions.

The September field

Rollins's filing sets up a three-way Democratic primary on September 1 against incumbent Kevin Hayden — who was appointed to fill her seat after she left for DOJ — and challenger Linda Champion, per Boston.com. All three cleared the 1,000-signature threshold ahead of Tuesday's deadline.
The winner of the Democratic primary will be the heavy favorite in November in a county where Republicans rarely contest the seat.

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Criminals' favorite ex-DA Rachael Rollins is officially on the September Suffolk DA ballot - Mass Daily News